Protection
by utdfan22
Summary: Arthur spent years with only the goal of rescuing Teeny and his mother in mind. So, what happens when he realizes that his new family might not be together forever. His own journey towards accepting this revolves mostly around jealousy, denial and delusion. Features Phee and Sety heavily because they help drive most of the conflict. Arthur/ Phee and Sety/ Teeny.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Thought I would try something different from my last work to keep things fresh. In my first playthrough of Seisen No Keifu, I wound up with an Arthur/ Phee pairing and a Sety/ Teeny pairing. Thought it would provide an interesting starting point for a story, given the relationships between both sets of siblings.**

Who did that arrogant, green haired twit think he was?

They'd only just stopped to rest in Thracia Castle, a brief break from the constant barrage of bloodshed they had been engaged in since the Thracia campaign had begun. The place was mountainous, infertile and ruled by a manipulative, cruel King.

So why in Tordo's name was Phee's stuck up brother attempting to seduce his little sister here?

They'd recruited three different relatives since they had invaded the barren lands of Trabant, Altenna, Faval and Sety. Altenna and Arthur had no real interaction to speak of but were respectful of one another's skills. Faval was also fine; if not a little stiff when it came to his baby sister (Arthur had only ever referred to Patty as the "flat thief" as one of his rare jokes but his sore nose made him suspect the archer took a dim view of the title). Sety, however, he was an entirely different type of Holy Inheritor.

Arthur found himself fingering his wind tome agitatedly as a petite girl with white hair reached up to pull on the Holsety wielder's cloak. Her older brother promptly pulled the Elwind open and laid it across his lap when Sety responded with a smile and offered her a hand while the two marched down a stone corridor towards Thracia Castle's courtyard (the Liberation Army's main training ground outside of the surprisingly well funded arena). Naturally he shadowed the two, eyes narrowing every time a quiet, bell chime-like giggle escaped Teeny's lips whilst amicably conversing with his new least favourite person in the army.

The normally neutral white haired mage found his frown deepening more severely with every passing second. Oh, what he wouldn't give to just have a chance to wrap his fingers around the Silesian prince's neck. Not to kill him of course, just to scare him. He needed to know that the younger thunder Mage walking beside him deserved the very best. Arthur would guarantee-

"If you keep making that expression, your face will freeze that way"

Blushing faintly at his own lack of awareness, Arthur managed to turn most of his disapproving grimace on the greenette Pegasus Knight now laughing at his expense.

Bristling angrily, he found words rushing straight from his mouth before his head could veto his poorer choices.

"Shut it. This is all your fault!"

His childish tone would have probably made the other members of their group chuckle but Phee had never been one to let an insult slide.

"What is that supposed to mean?!" she challenged, her posture straightening so that they stood eye to eye

Once again, Arthur found he couldn't contain himself in the presence of Silesian royalty. Something about the girl drove him absolutely wild and he found himself unintentionally venting his frustrations on her.

"You said he was a good guy! Not the type of man who goes around seducing innocent little girls who don't know any better!" Arthur's teeth were bared, his vision flooding with red at the thought of Teeny crying her eyes out once Sety had decided to move on

"What are you talking about?" Phee had stopped shouting now, her head cocking (cutely, in Arthur's eyes) to the side as her eyes narrowed suspiciously "If this is a joke, I'll-"

Letting out a frustrated screech from somewhere deep inside of his throat, Arthur found the Knight before him in a state he'd never seen her before. A state of shocked silence.

He blinked, to see if the impossible sight would vanish into a haze… but it didn't.

His brain scrambled backwards, replaying the last few seconds over and over again until he realised what he'd actually said when his vocal chords had morphed into an irritated housecat's. He had yelled to the highest heavens "Your bastard brother!".

His lips finally froze and he immediately began browbeating himself as his immature behaviour from a moment earlier suddenly came under his own scrutiny. He didn't like what he saw.

Clearly, this was a good sign for his relationship with Phee because they'd found another thing in common. She hadn't liked it either.

"How dare you! You can't just say things like that about my big brother! Especially when he's a much better guy than you!" the last part tumbled out of her mouth far too easily for Arthur's liking, his envy towards the Silesian Magi Squad's leader seemingly growing every time he turned his head

That thought flew straight from his mind as Phee turned to storm off without him. His hand instinctively reached out to wrap around her slimmer one and pull her back to face him. Her spiteful glare did little to shake his resolve, even as he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand ramrod stiff when her Hero Lance just barely caught the edge of his vision.

"Sorry, you know I get carried away sometimes. I wasn't trying to take it out on you" calm and smooth, his voice also lowered slightly to give it a wounded edge, the same kind he'd used to beg for food while wandering through the snowy backwoods of his childhood "I just think your brother is a little too…" he paused and scowled as he quickly ran through his vocabulary for the least offensive phrase he could turn "… friendly with my sister"

Phee put a finger to her chin, opting to forget their previous argument as she mulled over what he had said.

"They both seem happy enough" crossing her arms, her mouth forming a slight pout "He was always running off to help people in need. Always forgetting me in the process. Truth be told, I'm a little jealous of Teeny right now"

Arthur found himself skipping with glee inside, he had his proof now. Sety was going to forget about her, to Arthur it really didn't matter that it was unintentional, just that it was going to happen.

The elation soon shattered like a cart dropped from the peak of one of Thracia's mountains. If he was right, then Teeny was going to be crushed.

Groaning loudly, Arthur slammed his head against the granite wall in frustration, recoiling in pain a moment later while rubbing a bright red bump on his forehead.

Phee chastised him for his idiocy before wrapping an arm around Arthur's and dragging him off towards his room. He clearly needed to lie down before he gave himself either a concussion or a heart attack. Arthur took a small amount of pleasure from her attention in between his bouts of cursing her brother.

Poking irritably at the splotch ruining his perfectly pale complexion, Arthur sighed, his head falling backwards onto an itchy 'bed' cobbled together from materials laying about the castle. His room was actually a shared quarters for many of the males in the Army converted from an old hall that had been sparsely decorated by the previous residents.

Staring blankly at the uninteresting roof above him, Arthur's thoughts began to paint themselves onto it like a fresh canvas.

At first the colours were bright, flashing yellow and blue like lightning as a small boy was held between a slip of a woman and a gangly, awkward man. The woman's stomach was notably round with child as her son continued to excitedly rub his cheek against the swell while his father patted his head fondly.

A soft smile ghosted across Arthur's face as the shadows above twisted and distorted in colour and shape, his memories rushing past his eyes as if he was flipping though an old picture book.

The older man's form first tinged with a warm orange before it began to mutate, his body swallowed in a violent, alien red as his family was torn away from him and his figure vanished into the air, the flames consuming him completely.

Tears streamed down the now three faces staring across at the sight, a tiny girl silently wailing alongside her brother as their mother comforted them in the mute portrait. Their surroundings subtly shifted to a snowy wasteland, covered by trees on all sides, as the tears finally dried and the three huddled together in a warm familial embrace.

The happy scene didn't last long as several formless creatures, led by a cruel man who shined brighter with the power of electricity than all around him, dragged the mother and sister away, both kicking and screaming in protest as the small boy hid amongst the trees and attempted to muffle his lonely sobs.

The rest of the events were a blur, paling in comparison to all that came before until, finally, the younger sister, her hands uncertainly clenched at her sides stood before him once more. However, their separation truly ended when the seemingly insecure girl rushed forwards and wrapped her arms around him tightly, like he was her lifeline.

Faint whispers overlayed with the previously silent imagery, the conviction in his words surprising even him.

"_No one will ever hurt you again"_

Maybe he'd failed to protect Tailto and Teeny when they had to flee into Silesia to escape his father's fate at Barhara but he wouldn't fail now. He spent years practising and training to perfect his wind magic, hitched a ride with Phee and her Pegasus to cross the sea and joined the Liberation Army all to save what remained of his family… and now his baby sister was slipping away from him again.

He wouldn't mind if it was with someone decent like... like… well, he couldn't think of one but he knew it was true. Sety was just a poor choice for Teeny, simple as that. He had his good points certainly but so did his father, the previous Holsety wielder and Silesia's former King.

Levin was a father-figure to everyone in the army, providing advice and aiding all who needed his help without a second thought as he guided them towards the long desired victory. Honestly, he was like family to everyone in the Army (which already felt like an extended group of relatives to begin with).

Levin was an ideal father alright… except when it came to his actual children. Neither Sety nor Phee seemed to cross his mind whenever he wandered about the halls lost in his own thoughts, as if he had moved on… forgotten them.

Maybe it was unfair to hold that against Sety but... he just couldn't help it, his brotherly instinct overwriting his normally trusting nature whenever he had to watch Tailto's youngest daughter fraternising with Levin's eldest son.

Thracia's mountains swallowed the sun as the night finally overtook another long day at Thracia Castle, his lack of training leaving him bounding with frustrated energy that made lying still impossible. Huffing in annoyance, Arthur pulled his messy hair out of his eyes and decided to take a relaxing walk around the grounds.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Decided to split into multiple chapters to make it an easier read.**

As the moon lazily asserted itself above the sun to begin its stint as their heavenly body of choice, many of his allies were still scattered about the castle.

Celice, Lana, Altenna, Leaf and Nanna were gathered about on the barracks staring out into the distance with worried expressions, their lips were clearly moving but Arthur was too far to make out what was being said. It probably revolved around Thracia's lost Dragon Knights or some foe they would soon face. The young Princes always seemed so occupied with grand problems, worrying about matters before and after their time.

He pitied that about them, he honestly did. He knew what it was like to have a fear hanging over your head that you could do nothing about, to be trapped looking mournfully at the past… but that time was largely over for him. His sister was safely back in his grasp and now all he had to do was aid Celice in overthrowing the most powerful Empire their world had ever known to ensure she stayed safe.

Well, easy in comparison… from a certain point of view.

He scoffed, these thoughts were getting him nowhere; he had bigger things to worry about. Like making sure Silesia didn't have its first royal bastard of this generation at Teeny's expense.

Following a sombre run-in with a reminiscing Fin and having to get his wind tome back from a vengeful Patty, Arthur found himself under the entirety of the full moon in Thracia castle's courtyard, Luna seeming to giggle at his frustration from her perch in the sky.

Why else would she have brought the three people who would not get out of his head together under her watchful eye? They were of course a Pegasus Knight, her Mage brother and a slim girl giggling at their antics whilst Arthur silently watched from behind, creeping into the bushes nearby like a common voyeur following a random pretty face.

"You should have said something earlier, you were welcome to join us" Sety's tone was light and teasing, something he reserved solely for the excitable greenette now blushing crimson beside him "I never meant to make you feel left out"

"But you two seemed so cosy... I just" Phee's trailed off into silence, gently playing with her skirts to distract herself from her mounting embarrassment while she tried to deflect the conversation elsewhere "How did you figure out I was jealous anyways?"

"I overheard you and Arthur's little argument" Sety answered with a shrug "You both seemed fine with making the matter a public affair"

Teeny looked uneasy as she shifted and nodded gingerly "I he-her-heard as well. I hope you don't h-hold it against Big Brother"

Phee snorted, grinning cockily "Oh, I won't. Can't blame an idiot for saying stupid things, right? Now if I thought he was actually being serious and not just a moody prima dona, then well…" she copied her brother's nonchalant gesture as a chill ran down Arthur's spine at something in her tone he couldn't quite place

"Oh, thank goodness. Brother will be so relieved" Teeny shifted gears to a shy smile, her hands clenching over her heart in relief

"Really?!"

Phee jumped from her place on their shared bench, clutching Teeny's petite shoulders as she spoke, eyes wide with curiosity and (what Arthur sincerely wanted to believe was) hope.

For once, the sudden motion didn't worry the nervous young woman, Teeny actually smiling wider than before "Definitely, you're his favourite person in the entire Army. He told me he'd do anything for you"

Arthur scowled from his hiding place at her blatant lies. Sure, he was in love with her. Yes, he would go to ridiculous lengths to make her safe and happy. And maybe he'd hinted at that to Teeny during one of their many making-up-for-lost-time heart-to-hearts. But he hadn't flat out told her, he had too much pride for that.

"Wow, he always seems so… distant about it all. Are you sure?"

Arthur's brow furrowed as his frown deepened at the wistful tone in her voice. He wasn't that cold, right? Before his doubts could irritate him any further, Sety spoke up, redirecting the Tordo descendant's anger outwards.

"If she wasn't then I wouldn't let him near you"

Phee rolled her eyes and leaned into her brother, who promptly wrapped a loving arm around her shoulder.

"I can take care of myself, thank you"

Sety chuckled again "I know but I wouldn't want your suitors to forget that you have a very powerful older brother. One who's very protective of you"

"What?"

Sety sighed happily, calmly jerking his thumb towards the greenery Arthur had attempted to hide behind "Arthur is hiding back there"

Begrudgingly Arthur decided to stand up before Phee tried to test the theory by running the local flora through with her favourite lance a couple of times. Raising his hands in a submissive position, Arthur grinned uncomfortably at the two girls staring at him.

He tried to open his mouth to explain himself but was quickly cut off.

"Pervert!"

His eye twitched involuntarily but he held his tongue, Teeny was watching and he didn't want to do anything stupid in front of her.

"No, I was just curious about what you were talking about"

"Sounds like a voyeur to me" Phee half-mumbled just loud enough to make sure they all heard her

Sety shook his head at her comment, lightly bopping her on the head "Be nice. No more bickering tonight"

"But!" Phee began before shrinking beneath her brother's stern glare

"Fine" she conceded with a theatrical huff

Arthur had to admit that the gleeful look on Sety's face probably wasn't that far away from his own, and Teeny was covering most of her face in an effort to avoid embarrassing her friend. Another plus for Phee… never a dull moment.

"How are you tonight, Brother?" Teeny asked, as she walked forward to embrace him briefly before turning, leaving both sets of siblings standing opposite one another

Debating his options, he decided to play it coy "Just thinking about some things"

"Like what?" his sister asked innocently

Oh, she didn't need to know what he was going to do with… no, to Sety.

"Nothing important" he assured her before feeling a sharp stinging pain in the back of his head "Ouch, what was that for?"

A very vexed Pegasus Knight had just slapped him across the back of the head and was now eyeing him evilly with a livid frown etched onto her face.

It seemed that Phee had taken it upon herself to make him fess up what was bothering him and he had to admit that the glint in her eyes seemed awfully determined.

Gripping Teeny's hand, Phee began to lead her away, shouting back at the two stunned males "Sort this out between yourselves, now. Before I have to do something drastic"

Unconsciously, Arthur began rubbing his arm. An old injury ghosting across the surface as he recalled the last time he'd pushed her into "drastic" territory. Pegasus Knights were physically stronger than most Mages, and the Silesian backwoods had made him lean and cunning rather than buff. Definitely not something he wanted to repeat but…

That only left actually dealing with Sety, something he wasn't ready for.

Arthur was not an arrogant man (despite what some would say) and knew his magic was weaker than his counterpart's, so a duel was out. He had no idea how serious Sety was about his sister, so pleading and dealing would be difficult.

He was cornered and despite the relatively cool Thracian temperatures, it felt like the moon was harsher than the Yied Desert sun during peak season. Luckily, Sety was tactful enough to ignore his nerves.

The man's heterochromatic eyes crinkled with mirth as he turned to Arthur, his tone friendly and warm "She can be a bit of a handful but she means well"

Arthur hummed in agreement, still attempting to sort out his bitter feelings towards Sety that seemed a lot emptier whenever Teeny left his side.

"Of course, you're not much different from what I can gather"

Arthur's lavender eyes widened at the comment, as he glared at the imposing Sage "What did you say?"

Sety's fingers stroked his chin thoughtfully as he spoke "Well, you two both like to argue for one"

Arthur was willing to concede that. Yes, they both enjoyed a good argument… until he took things too far and upset her.

"You're both constantly looking out for other people even when they don't realise it. Take you for example; you pulled Patty out of the path of that Dragon Knight"

Had Patty told anyone that? Nobody else was around as far as he could tell and the sun's glare had been so harsh when it hung between the mountains rather than above them, the yellow star kissing the ground as it set while they desperately fought to subdue Grandbell's only ally.

"I suppose I did do that" the words were awkward coming out of his lips but Sety just continued smiling as if he was used to Arthur being slow to talk around him

Now that Arthur thought about it that made a little bit of sense considering Teeny had met him first.

"Honestly, you should just tell her already" Sety sighed, seeming to deflate at some unknown thought before trying to force another smile "She needs to know someone won't forget about her"

Arthur's ears perked up at that admission, his thoughts shifting to another green haired wind God "You mean your father"

His tone made it clear that it wasn't a question but Sety nodded anyway.

"Not just him though" Sety continued to shrink it seemed, his shoulders sagging unnaturally far down "I… I was too busy trying to be a hero abroad. I missed Mother's death and didn't even return home when I learned of it. Phee must have been so lonely"

Weighing his options wearily, Arthur chose to quash his own feelings of jealousy and offer some comfort. Plenty more little sisters might have vanished from the Manster district if Sety hadn't sacrificed so much.

"Phee doesn't hold it against you. She says she never felt lonely in Silesia because she knew you were doing something good, wherever you went" Arthur smiled softly as a beautiful pair of cheerful emerald eyes flitted through his mind like a teasing kiss "She thinks the world of you"

"She told you that?"

The childishly hopeful expression on his face was so out-of-place that Arthur actually started to chuckle a little "Yeah, she did"

The two soon fell into a very comfortable conversation about whatever crossed their minds… Sety had the charisma of a true leader, the ability to make you want to listen to him. Even his most ardent rival found himself wholeheartedly agreeing that the Holsety wielder was the stronger mage without a hint of irony.

It was like the stars above them had a calming effect as a thousand lights burning gently in the sky gave rise to a thousand thoughts that could have kept the two talking cordially until the sun finally reclaimed his throne from his sky bound sibling had Teeny not crept back into their words.

"Your sister has a lot of potential" Sety had randomly shifted topics while sitting cross-legged on the bench, a strange glint entering the green eye visible to Arthur

Lying back in the soft grass had nearly caused the Tordo outcast to nod off with one hand resting under his head as a pillow. However, his free hand now began to clutch at the grass tightly, his lavender eyes narrowing as he focused his gaze intently on Sety.

"What are you suggesting?" his mind was racing with hidden meanings and alternate readings of the seemingly innocent statement

"Exactly what I said, she could one day be a very powerful Mage Fighter" Sety's eyebrow rose at the harsh glare he was receiving "Do you disagree?"

Arthur shook his head, his pupils shifting to maintain that hateful glower he'd perfected the second time he'd seen Bloom in person.

"No, I was just wondering how much time you've actually spent around my sister to figure that out"

A new image was painting itself onto the canvas he spotted earlier, now playing out across the surface of the moon. A petite girl the shade of lightning was collapsed on her knees and reaching out desperately for a man with a crown resting upon his head that was briskly walking away from her. He didn't even look back as a light breeze captured his form and scattered it, forever separating it from the crying thunder.

Sety for his part merely looked thoughtful and disgustingly peppy at the question "Quite a bit I suppose, she's always asking for help to improve her skills. Not that I mind"

"That's what I'm afraid of" Arthur muttered irritably

Unfortunately, Sety had rather excellent hearing and was able to make out his words with ease.

"Afraid of what? Teeny improving?"

That had lit a fire under him, the minor Fala blood coursing through his veins seeming to burn at the Sage's arrogance.

"Of course not. You're the problem, so don't try to push it back onto Teeny" the naked fury in his voice caught the older warrior off guard but confusion soon morphed into anger

"Why are you constantly doing this?" he spat, standing over the prone Mage with a gaze just as sharp as Arthur's

The white haired man pushed himself to his feet, standing eye to eye with Sety while letting all of his frustrations finally boil to the surface.

"Doing what?" he challenged back

"Picking pointless fights" Sety's lack of volume was lost on Arthur as Sety's rage seemed to match his own

"Well, why are you trying to seduce my sister?"

Admittedly the comeback had sounded more shocking in his head than it had come out but the fact still remained that he needed to get this out of the way before the entire affair became too entrenched and the roots had to be ripped out of Teeny's already broken heart.

Sety, to his credit, remained calm but a light pink tinged his cheeks.

"I'm not trying to seduce her"

"Then you're leading her on"

"No, I'm not" he attempted to assure Arthur, grinning again despite an obvious strain "Your sister and I are friends and she is also a younger magic user. I'm just trying to help her develop her skills"

Arthur's teeth gritted as he threw his hands up in the air "Forget it, if you're not enough of a man to admit you like her"

"I never denied that" Sety answered smoothly, cutting Arthur off mid-rant and causing his complaints to catch in his throat as they piled on top of one another in a strangled yelp

Sighing half-heartedly, the more mature Sage chose to leave his friend to cool off, approaching the doorway leading back inside "I'm not my father, if that's your concern. I'm not going to abandon her"

"How did you- tch, it doesn't matter in the end" Arthur opted to storm off, heading in the direction opposite Sety with a decidedly darker mood than even the melancholy one he'd entered the courtyard with

He passed Teeny and Phee, who had crouched behind the door to listen in without a second glance, heading straight for the castle battlements to mope.

While he wasn't certain, Arthur swore he heard Phee say "Well, that backfired"


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: One of my favourite little sections of the game was in Chapter 10 and revolved around Yurius and Ishtar attempting to kill a member of your party. I managed to beat Ishtar with Sety (wielding Holsety at the time) and thought it would fit well into the story.**

If Thracia was considered a difficult campaign, then Miletos defied description in Arthur's eyes as the mountains of increasingly powerful corpses mounted wherever the Liberation Army went.

Even Hilda, the source of so much of his personal suffering, had finally deigned to grace the battlefield with her cruel sneer. The self-important bitch had actually guarded Chronos Castle as its last line.

Despite his best efforts, Arthur had failed to kill her, her fire magic overwhelming his own power and scorching his snow white skin darkest black. Lana had nearly broken the Relive staff passed on from her Mother just to keep his charred flesh from slipping off the bone afterwards.

Still, the day's events brought a proud grin to his lips at the memory of Teeny, having just been promoted for her efforts during the Thracia campaign, using her Elthunder tome to cripple the source of her childhood anguish.

But even the brightest stars eventually fall and the day had ground to halt as the self-professed "future Queen's mother" had managed to evade the vengeful siblings, vanishing like a passing storm that left nothing but damage and suffering in its wake.

Still the celebration had been a pleasant affair. While many of the group taking the night to repel Ridale's forces, Arthur and Teeny had been left in the castle to rest and recover. Arthur's wounds were healing nicely due to the persistent use of Teeny's new stave skills gently soothing over his scars until only the faintest lines remained to stain his pale complexion.

Wandering about the castle grounds with a surprisingly light feeling in their chests and a spring in their steps that lifted their spirits whenever the topic of the shocked face of the electrocuted Queen passed their lips. Yes, it was an ideal night as the two finally dropped backwards to lie in the soft grass and stare upwards at the moon while the cries of war seemed years away amidst the calm ambience.

He stretched his arms out before slipping them beneath his head, and smiling softly at Teeny.

"You did well today" he commented, enjoying the adorable blush staining her cheeks as she nodded in agreement

"I can't believe I finally beat her. I know I shouldn't think like this but… I enjoyed watching her scream in agony. Does that make me a bad person?" Teeny turned towards him, faint fear mixed into the cheerful demeanour she displayed whenever the two were bonding

"Well, if you are, then so am I. She deserved to die there" Arthur's head spun with thoughts of desecrating and ravaging the corpse with his most powerful tomes, a sadistic pleasure coursing through him at the illusions "And the next time I find her…"

What he would do didn't need to be explained, both Teeny and Arthur looked towards that final retribution with the same relish that the target of their hatred coveted the throne of Grandbell.

"I wonder how the others are doing" Teeny's eyes were locked on the moon above and her voice was so quiet that Arthur almost missed it entirely

"I'm sure they're fine" noticing her fingers twitch with anticipation, Arthur added (masking an identifiable irritation at her concerns) "They'll be back before you know it"

That (thankfully) seemed to do the trick as Teeny beamed at him before collapsing back onto the ground to stargaze again.

Having spent the majority of his early adolescence and late childhood largely isolated from people, Arthur had become a relatively quiet young man, often feeling out of place in large crowds. His dreams revolved around quiet homes, warmed by a gentle flame and enveloped in a comfortable silence. Thus, an upset sister was not something an isolated soul, like him, would be used to.

However, the loneliness that an eternal winter had numbed him to was slowly becoming a more pressing reality as the thought of returning to that solo existence repulsed Arthur more and more with every passing moment he spent in the Liberation Army.

His plans had always included room to manoeuvre where his biological family was concerned, if he found his mother and sister they would be exceptions to his solitude… that much was already decided.

No, the waters only became murky when his thoughts shifted to inheritance and Pegasi, a fiery/ thunderous burden and a fierce woman both coming to mind whenever he tried to plot his no longer simple future.

His eyes rested on his younger sister, now breathing softly as the day's excitement finally caught up to her. The moon's rays caught her ashen face at just the right angle to bathe it in an angelic light. The obvious beauty of the scene brought out only ugly musings in the tormented Mage Knight.

She was also a variable, wasn't she? They had two noble lines running through their blood and, if the war reached its bloody climax, then they could very well be the last survivors of both Houses when all was said and done.

Should the ancient dukedoms stand, then that scenario would probably leave them both ruling their own expanse and subjects. Arthur doubted travel between them would be difficult and they could come close to his desired relationship with his no longer estranged sibling.

Those were the civil ideas floating gently in Arthur's mind as torrents raged around the alternative option, Teeny following a Silesian royal back to his homeland and spending the remainder of her days as a bitter crone watching the object of her affections with another.

Even if the wind Mage did not intend it, life would probably not fall into their laps so perfectly as to allow them to spend their last days united in bliss. If the divine bond of blood could not bind Arthur and Teeny together, then what hope did the passing affections of a noble have of withstanding the test of time?

No, Sety could not hold the girl in any special regard after so short a time but he insisted on pursuing the lavender eyed girl. Couldn't he see that she wasn't ready for such a relationship… that wounds left by her foster family had left her desperate for genuine affection?

Arthur may have decided that Sety was not malicious in his heart but he had also decided that it was ultimately irrelevant. Sety seemed pleasant and was certainly physically potent but that paled in comparison to his lack of commitment towards Phee.

Sety had inadvertently abandoned one of the most important women in Arthur's life already and Fala's descendant was determined to ensure he didn't have the chance to repeat the mistake.

Hearing feet pounding on the stone floors leading to the courtyard, Arthur awoke from his thoughts and rose to greet those who returned. His intent as focused as it had ever been as he followed behind Teeny.

Birds scattered from trees in a nervous flurry of squawks as magic both anima and dark careened through their forest home like a herd of bulls in a china shop, tearing roots from Earth and burning wood to crisp piles of ash.

Loputo priests were scattered about that Earthly place, several of them wielding powerful sleep staves that left people as dissonant as Isaacian princes and overly energetic thief fighters slumped on the ground in paralysed heaps while they were swarmed by dark robed figures attempting to pick their bones.

Arthur found himself pushing through with brute force, relying more on his superior strength and speed than strategy to dominate the Sect priests before they could attempt to lull their entire army to dreamland.

Finding himself surrounded and increasingly outnumbered with every passing second, Arthur was only able to watch on as the trademark silver of Tordo's line was glimpsed between the trees. A sideways ponytail slung down past a bare shoulder, the solid shape reminding him more of his own follicles than Teeny's.

Arthur blinked rapidly; trying to clear away the horrible vision as memories of his previous encounter with the Thor Hammer flashed haunted him, Bloom's daughter practically oozing power as she strode through the battlefield with sad eyes.

The scattered yells from warriors who'd wandered farther ahead of him heralded another nightmare as the name "Yurius!" resounded throughout the narrow clearings like a lead weight.

Arthur knew that the Holy Weapon clenched in Ishtar's hand could crush him before he had a chance to retaliate. He knew he had to escape but his legs were frozen in place at something moving in the corner of his vision.

Teeny was running towards Ishtar, her eyes glistening with unshed tears as she cried out for the older girl who had treated her like a sister. Her words, her eyes, her posture… everything twisting to beg Ishtar to stop fighting, to join Sir Celice and his crusade.

Ishtar merely lowered her eyes as Thor's Hammer began to glow slightly with the signature shine of the Holy Crusader's weapons. Teeny's unprepared hands rushing to one of the tomes fastened to her sides, the panic causing her to fumble the effort as it slipped from her fingers while Arthur's normally deft digits were too slow to drag his own weapon into position to interrupt the Divine attack.

However, the crack of thunder was drowned out as the wind swirled viciously around the Goddess of Thunder, throwing her concentration off completely and actually sending her skidding back a few feet before her natural resistance kicked in to absorb the force of the attack.

Without missing a beat, Ishtar finished twisted about to unleash Thor's Hammer, her enhanced skill shining through as she struck a fast moving target between the trees dead on. The collision had a green haired Sage violently rolling into the clearing on his back, Holsety noticeably gripped between his long, dextrous fingers.

Arthur actually found himself shaking under the sharp glare shared between the two magic wielders as their eyes met, a protective glint dominating Sety's as he appraised Teeny's teary appearance through the periphery of his vision.

No words were spoken but a warm feeling of relief rushed through Arthur at her shy nod towards him. She was safe and Ishtar was not as disproportionally powerful compared to Sety as she was towards Tailto's children. A small spot of hope had appeared and it seemed to explode outwards as Sety launched his Earth shattering attack first, the violent breeze engulfing the entire area.

For the briefest moment, the entire world consisted only of Sety, his presence enveloping perception as all in the clearing became intimate with his will manifested through the Dragon's blood. Warmth, determination, loyalty, kindness, hopes for a better future for the entire continent. All of it seemed to carry through the wind like a father's firm grip, steadying and uplifting to all those lucky enough to experience it.

Ishtar's scream echoed in a cacophonic screech as she finally fell, her tome still held with a vice grip but the brilliant flash of colour fading to a dull blue that seemed to encircle the book as she warily eyed Sety from her vulnerable position.

Sety was equally cautious, shoving himself to his feet and taking an uncertain step forwards… one eye always on the next line of Holsety. Teeny had fallen into step beside him, pulling on one of his robes roughly and begging him to stop.

He spared her a glance and a slight smile, opening his mouth to reply before his jaw went slack in amazement as another being in dark, luxurious robes appeared to teleport into existence, grab Ishtar and vanish as quickly as he had come, leaving the trio in shock as they tried to process the strange turn of events.

The aura of mysticism and energy built by the use of God-like weaponry and inexplicable talents for evasion soon collapsed in sync with Sety as his legs gave out and he sunk to his knees in an exhausted heap.

"Sety!" Teeny shrieked nervously, squatting down to check on him, a stave appearing almost instantly to treat her patient "Are you alright?"

Wincing as he reached an arm up, he gently rubbed her cheek, staining them crimson as he lovingly caressed her face.

"So long as you're fine, so am I"

Arthur couldn't help but feel isolated again, watching from the background as they showed their affections, completely ignorant to his presence. Not even caring if anyone saw them because to them, the world only consisted of two people in that moment.

Sety could probably be trusted with his sister more than any other man alive; Arthur's complaints were being struck from his mind with a resounding finality.

And yet… Arthur had never felt bitterer about their relationship than he did when they embraced each other warmly on that day.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: This is the final chapter. If you would have preferred one long chapter as opposed to four smaller ones, please say so in your review. I'm still getting the feel for story presentation at the moment of writing. This one is longer than the others due to the last part being too short as a standalone ending.**

Miletos castle had ultimately proved only a stepping stone as they fought their way into Chalphy to reclaim Prince Celice's ancestral home. Emperor Alvis had been slain, the Tyrfing was sitting in a sheathe at Celice's side and all were jolly at the realization that one of the master manipulators of many of their respective parents' ends at Barharra had finally tasted a long denied justice.

For Arthur it had brought a certain dread as Velthomer's now empty throne beckoned to him, its tainted legacy his inheritance from his patriarchal lineage. It had also brought little joy to Celice himself whom Arthur had last seen wandering towards the nearby beach, completely lost in his own troubled thoughts.

The Mage Knight could certainly relate to the feeling as the future loomed, clearer than ever and yet so very hard to swallow.

He was partially determined to return to Silesia, to work hard to repay the land that had shielded him from Freege, Bloom and Hilda in his youth. The grounds that had embraced him amidst his darkest days while its people, the few that saw him, reached out to help the lost child whenever they could.

He loved Silesia, that was his true home and, save for his links to Velthomer and Freege, he was ready to spend the rest of his days there.

Of course, joining a limber, exciteable pixie of a girl there was not something he would object to either. She fully intended to return to the snowy north as well and, despite their disagreements, she was dropping hints that he could follow her if he wanted.

The mural was falling perfectly into place, the tiny details all seeming to etch themselves out just where he wanted them to be. All except for one very large silvery haired section that seemed to be fading to a duller green with every passing day.

Teeny had spent the entirety of their Chalphy campaign and the preceding rest in Miletos within arms reach of the Silesian prince, staves and tomes ready to ensure his safety. Following the encounter with Ishtar, Teeny had changed ever so subtly. She now stood slightly closer to Sety whenever they walked together; dedicated hours every day they weren't in battle to the local arenas of the castles they occupied and above all embraced the life and people she knew could be taken from her any day during the chaotic scramble of their war.

She was all grown up and no longer needed a protector… no longer needed an older brother staring over shoulder and picking her up when she fell. After what felt like only scant days of bonding instead of the drawn out months of fighting, the lightning no longer needed his protective embrace.

Tears stung at his eyes at the thought but he did his best to prevent them falling, scrunching his facial features in a fierce glare to pin the tears in their ducts as moisture gathered around the edge of his eyes. It was in this pitiable state that Phee had found him in the day before they left Chalphy.

"Jeez, what happened to you?" she wondered, her blunt tone counterbalanced by the inviting touch of her hand wiping away the non-falling tears

He jerked his head away, unwilling to let her see him at his weakest, especially when the reason he was so upset was simple envy.

"Nothing you have to worry about" Arthur responded tersely, praying she'd just leave him to wallow long enough to quash his jealousy towards her brother

Phee paused for a moment, the memory of the last time she'd tried to help him off the battlefield still causing her to cringe as he stormed away from her brother about as angry as she'd ever seen him. The only time that was worse had been the glare he'd worn while battling towards Chronos Castle, rumours that House Freege's matriarch were stationed there fuelling his primal bloodlust.

But that was the past, and Arthur needed help. She never could abandon a person in need.

"Just tell me already. I won't laugh or anything, I swear"

Arthur grinned humourlessly, staring at her with a dead look in his eyes "It's not your laughter that worries me"

"Is it Teeny's?"

"No, well yes but… not in the way you think"

Phee scratched the back of her head, imitating a "thinking pose" she'd once seen Oifaye adopt when trying to recall his memories of the younger Levin during Sir Sigurd's crusade.

Turning over a few random ideas, she settled on the tried and true method of reasoning "Does it have something to do with Sety?"

"Less than it did" Arthur answered miserably, his emotions (which Phee regarded herself as good at reading) far closer to his sleeve than she was used to

Still, his statement didn't help much. If Sety wasn't the problem anymore, then she was stumped. Complex problems were not her forte as she preferred the certainty of sport and battle to the unquantifiable struggles of mind and organisation. Her eyes lit up as a new idea crossed her mind, one far more in tune with her thinking than her older efforts.

If she couldn't handle Arthur's more multifaceted dilemmas than perhaps she should try and find a simpler problem she could connect it to. Solve it piece by piece rather than as one convoluted mess.

Now, what had bothered her about Teeny and Sety's relationship that Arthur could relate to? She had dismissed it as a "big brother thing" earlier but now she was taking the opposite approach. What if, just what if, he was empathising with her own longing for her brother's total attention?

"Are you jealous of them?"

Arthur averted his eyes in shame, refusing to answer but all that did was encourage Phee. If it had been a stupid suggestion, he would have belittled her for it, it was his (highly critical) way of helping her cover her weaknesses and improve herself. Avoidance meant she'd hit closer to the mark than he'd liked.

"Are you worried… she might leave with him instead of you?" Phee voiced aloud, privately jumping for joy at the tense nod of his head that left his eyes covered by his loose hair "Okay, I think I get what's wrong now"

"Heh" he snorted in response "I somehow doubt that"

Suppressing her natural instinct to sock him in the arm and walk away in a huff, Phee simply smiled sympathetically.

"You're upset because after spending at least a decade looking for her, you're losing her again but this time it's of her own free will. Am I close?"

Arthur's head fell further as he groaned obnoxiously, one hand massaging his aching temples tenderly "Am I that obvious? Even you can see it"

"Hey, I'm only trying to help!" Phee responded, pouting haughtily "Besides, it's not like anyone else here knows you well enough. Or cares enough for that matter. You're always kind of a pill, so… your secret's safe enough"

"Thanks for the comforting words. Glad to know, you have such a high opinion of me"

"Hey, it's true… you act like this all the time. You can't hold it against people for not noticing. Do you know how much Teeny and I worry about you when you get all moody?"

"But you just said-" Arthur began before Phee screamed in frustration, throwing her arms in the air as she vented

"I said only I KNOW you well enough to figure out what's wrong. Teeny does care what you think. Hell, you're her hero, the one who talked her down and brought her into Celice's army" Phee's narrowed eyes softened at his shocked expression, her tone following suit "She's smart enough to figure out what would have happened if you hadn't"

Arthur shuddered at the thought of a girl in her early teens lying in a broken heap somewhere between Lenster and Melgen, her bright lavender eyes dull and unseeing as they stared emptily into the sky.

Seeing his unease, Phee decided to press her advantage and finally get him to just deal with his problems instead of constant burying them under his sullen attitude.

"Go talk to her. Tell her what's wrong and get some closure"

Arthur had been about to flatly deny the request but the sight of her wide and hopeful emerald eyes swayed his opinions and he found himself nodding submissively, tensing when the overjoyed Pegasus Knight jumped forward to embrace him tightly. His heart began to beat erratically at the close contact, his arms instinctively enveloping her just as firmly.

He decided to relish the way she fit snugly against his chest. The overwhelming rush of happy emotions almost made him feel things might just turn out alright after all.

Arthur approached a tall but nondescript wooden door, mentally giving himself a pep talk before knocking.

It was true that many in the Army were sharing quarters, as was to be expected while castle hopping through enemy territory, but the more high ranking nobles actually received their own rooms. The Grandellian nobles (those of House Dozel, House Freege etc.) were not included in this illustrious rank.

However, Teeny had spent many a night with the Silesian royalty that graced the army's presence, Sety and Phee sharing a room in one of the higher towers ever since the elder's arrival. Phee had told Celice that she preferred the chilly altitude to the earthen floors below and had jumped at the opportunity to occupy the elevated residence.

Perhaps it was just altitude sickness that was knotting his stomach, but Arthur wasn't hopeful.

Rapping the door softly with his knuckles, Arthur leaned back, feigning indifference while praying to any deity that would listen that the room was empty. Unfortunately, his plea fell on deaf ears as the door was pushed open and a silver haired head leaned out through the crack.

"Big brother!" Teeny shouted gleefully, throwing the door open and puling him inside before closing the door "It feels like I haven't seen you in ages, where have you been?"

Arthur took one last moment to prepare himself before exhaling deeply "That's why I'm here. Sety's not around, right?"

Teeny blinked confusedly "No, he left a little while ago. Why, are you two fighting again? Is that why you're avoiding him?" her concerned face only made the words he had to say heavier as they tried to climb up his throat

"No, I think we're done with our arguments" he said hesitantly, his heart falling as she beamed at him approvingly

Realising what he had to do only became harder every time she smiled at him, like he was the most important person in the world, and the last thing he wanted was to avoid his confession out because he was too weak to be honest with her. So he swallowed his hesitation, bore his lavender orbs into her own and started rambling his tangent before he could stop himself.

"You've seemed very happy lately. In fact, so happy that I've changed my mind and think you and Sety are right for each other after all. I thought I was protecting you butIwasreallyjustjealousands elfservingandshouldreallytru styouandmyalliesmo-refromnowon" finally stopping to breath, Arthur managed to cool his rapidly overheating pace and sigh in a more reasonable register "Do you understand?"

"Ehm, I… kinda… missed some of it. H-h-hope y-y-you don't mind repeating. Please" her shy persona rarely surfaced when it was just the two of them, her confidence in that solitude having peaked in Thracia, where she had not stuttered even once without outside interference

Groaning, Arthur buried one his face in one of his hands and forced the words out, like dogs kept on shorter leashes, much slower "I was jealous of Sety. I wanted to keep you all to myself because after searching so long I guess I felt… entitled to your time. And I was wrong"

"What are you trying to say?" Teeny asked, putting one hand on his shoulder, the same comfort he'd offered her the first time they'd spoken off the battlefield "Take your time. We have all night if you need it"

Nodding gratefully, he replied with a bit more conviction "I didn't want to lose you again. I forced that feeling onto Sety because I didn't want you to realise that I'm not quite as noble as you seem to think I am. I actually managed to delude myself into thinking it was for your sake and not…" Arthur sighed one last time before finally emptying the emotions he'd been holding back since Thracia in a single word "… mine"

Glancing upwards hesitantly, Arthur tried to place what he saw swimming around in her lavender irises, attempted to but failed as it floated somewhere below the surface and Arthur's perception.

Reading her silence as shock, he felt like a stone had dropped in his stomach, his head falling to stare at the ground while silence seized his lips. He had nothing else to say and Teeny had been left speechless, there was nothing left to do so he turned to leave swiftly, desperately trying to escape the increasingly suffocating atmosphere of Sety's chambers.

Teeny's hand had shot out to wrap around his wrist before he could flee, the tightness reminding him of the death grip she'd had when they first reunited. Quashing any external nervousness, Arthur turned back as stoically as possible, attempting to embody the ideal older brother she deserved rather than the arrogant and immature one she'd received.

Teeny shook slightly before her other hand tentatively reached up to wrap around Arthur's shoulder while her right hand only increased the pressure on his wrist to pin him in place.

"I understand" she began uncertainly, her eyes wide and pleading as she stared into his own quivering gaze "I was worried about being separated from you as well. I'd already lost Mother and… those people"

Her hesitance pulled on his heart strings just enough to bring his free arm around her shoulder in a comforting manner, her body leaning heavily into the offered limb.

"But… I couldn't live like that… and neither can you" her sudden fierceness caught him off guard as she glared up at him defiantly "We both have our own lives and nothing we do can change that. But we never have to be apart like we were then again either!"

Arthur actually felt himself cowering slightly, an old memory of what his mother yelling at him for making the new baby cry again just after they'd reached Silesia surfacing briefly from his sea of consciousness. Those same burning eyes that held so many painful memories, that made him want to wipe that emotion from that beautiful face and make sure it never returned again.

"If we end up on opposite ends of the continent, then it won't matter because I'll drag myself across thousands of miles just to make sure you don't forget about me" Teeny grinned cheekily (the flash of teeth bearing the damning evidence of a certain Pegasus Knight's influence) "And don't you forget it! Er, please"

The absurdity of such a petite girl marching across the Yied Desert and through Silesian snowstorms just to see him had him laughing alongside her as the two separated joyously, a sort of understanding reaching the two.

Arthur's life would eventually diverge from hers but unlike before this time there would be no tears, no screaming and pleading. Only the understanding that it was temporary and that they would meet again, and that this pattern would repeat until one of them could no longer draw breath.

Embracing his sister once more, Arthur caught sight of the plain roof and watched as several bright figures painted themselves upon its surface.

A lightning sprite embracing her fiery lover as they glanced across proudly at their electric blue offspring embracing figures of the wind tinged with green. However, the scene was breathtaking for Arthur for a rather different reason.

Joining the younger creatures of the storm was a thread, a rather thick chord that pulsated with life and warmth. He had missed it among the chaotic scramble of the elements but it was there now, and as his thoughts scraped together the background of his previous musings that same line seemed a permanent fixture.

Smiling wider than he could ever remember, Arthur closed his eyes in bliss and loosened his grip on Teeny, just the tiniest bit.


End file.
